The invention relates in general to apparatus for transporting ammunition cartridges through a gun firing system and, in particular, to a transport apparatus that uses loops and couplings.
To convey ammunition cartridges, for example, 40 mm cartridges, through a weapon, a transport means is necessary to position and guide the cartridges through the gun firing system. The transport means may include couplings and loops. The cartridges are positioned in the loops and the couplings link the loops together. A plurality of cartridges and loops are connected together by the couplings to form an ammunition belt. The couplings and loops are physically shocked, pulled and distorted throughout the firing cycle and, therefore, require a certain strength to function properly.
Known ammunition belts are packaged for the specific end user in belt sizes with typically 32 or 94 rounds. However, there is no means for disconnecting or connecting (or assembling or disassembling) any ammunition cartridges from the original belt. An easy-to-use connect/disconnect feature is needed. For example, splicing partial belts into full belts, switching from one belt type to another (i.e., 32 round belt to 94 round belt) and assembling various size belts at the factory would all be easier with a connect/disconnect feature.
The loading of a new belt onto a weapon is time consuming and exposes the user to hostile fire during the belt re-loading stage. Perhaps the most important advantage of a connect/disconnect feature is the ability to connect additional belts to an already loaded belt of ammunition. It would be much easier and safer for a soldier under fire to simply connect additional belts to an already loaded belt, rather than having to reload each belt onto the weapon. Furthermore, in the past, partially used belts with only a few rounds have been discarded. With a connect/disconnect feature, the partially used belts can be connected together and used, thereby eliminating wasted ammunition and the problem of disposing of live, discarded ammunition.